Delhi Police granted detention powers under National Security Act for three months

The police, however, said it was a ‘routine order’ and was issued ‘every quarter’.

The office of the Delhi Police commissioner has been granted the power to detain under the National Security Act for a period of three months, from January 19 to April 18, according to an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, PTI reported on Friday.

The notification was issued on January 10 following the approval of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

Under the National Security Act, a person can be detained for months if the authorities feel that the individual is a threat to national security, law and order. The government can also withhold information which it considers to be against public interest to disclose when providing the grounds for an arrest.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said it was a “routine order” and is issued “every quarter”.

This comes amid protests against the newly amended Citizenship Act. There have been protests across the country, especially in the Capital and Uttar Pradesh. More than a 1,000 people were detained by the Delhi Police in one evening last month amid protests against the Act.

Lt Governor of the NCT of Delhi has directed that during the period 19.01.2020 to 18.04.2020, the Commissioner of Police, Delhi may also exercise the powers of detaining authority under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980 pic.twitter.com/ef7j7lVr5S